What a Feeling
by HallowFeather136
Summary: One-shot song fic based on the song "Flashdance What a Feeling ". Jeff has been selected as a top ten finalist for a scholarship at Julliard and freaks out before his performance. Luckily his best friend Nick is always there to help him through, even if it's not in the way Nick wanted to help him . . .


From the time Jeff was five years old, all he had wanted to be was a dancer. His parents said that from the moment he took his first steps, they've never been able to make him keep still. He was in dance classes by the time he was five, taking everything he possibly could and enjoying every minute of it. That feeling never stopped, even when he got so good that he began actually teaching the numbers, and it was that feeling that inspired him to try and become a professional dancer.

His parents believed in him of course, but they wanted him to have a back-up plan. They knew that the dancing field was competitive, and they knew that Jeff had what it took, but they just wanted to make sure he would be all right if he got injured or something along the way. So, they enrolled them in Dalton Academy, and made sure that his best friend was enrolled as well.

Nick was Jeff's best friend since before the cradle. Their mothers met in a birthing class, and bonded over the same sex and close due dates of their babies. Not to mention the fact that both of their husbands were almost always too busy to join them. Eventually though, a few months later, their father's did meet when both of their wives went into labor within days of each other, and it turns out; their fathers had a lot of things in common as well. A few years later, both men became business partners, and Nick and Jeff slowly but surely became inseparable.

Mrs. Sterling and Mrs. Duval both knew very quickly that Nick and Jeff's friendship was more than just a "friendship". They had no personal space boundary. The two boys were always touching, laughing, whispering to each other, Nick's mother had even walked in on them cuddling one time while watching a movie, and Jeff's mother couldn't count the times she had walked into Jeff's room in the morning and found them wrapped up in each other's arms as they slept. Of course, they knew what was going on, or what would eventually, but the boys of both families all seemed to be completely clueless.

Except for one.

"I can't do it, Nick," Jeff said again, running his hands through his hair, frustrated.

"Jeff," Nick grabbed his arms and pulled him down beside him. "You can do this. We both know you can. Everyone knows you can."

"Except me," Jeff murmured under his breath.

Nick sighed; it upset him how little his best friend thought of himself. "Listen to me," Nick reached up and gripped Jeff's face between his hands gently, but forcefully. Between any other friends, it would have been too intimate, but Nick and Jeff had no boundaries. "You are amazing. You are a brilliant dancer, the best one I've ever seen. You've been working so hard, and you _deserve_ this, and that's exactly why you're going to get out there and show that guy how amazing you are." Nick said, intensely gazing into Jeff's eyes.

Jeff bit his lip, as he smiled softly. "Thanks, Nick, you're the best." Jeff told him, and suddenly leaned forward and hugged him tightly.

Nick didn't hesitate returning the hug, gripping his best friend tightly in his arms, trying his hardest not to think about anything more than their close friendship.

Oh, Nick knew that he was in love with Jeff. From the moment he had seen Jeff dance for the first time, really dance, he had known that he had more than just friendly feelings. At first it started out as a small crush that Nick had mostly just tried to push away, but the longer time went on, the more Nick realized he couldn't just push his feelings away, and the stronger they got.

He never let that get in the way of his friendship though. No matter what Nick's feelings were, Jeff was Nick's best friend, and if that was what Jeff needed, that was what Nick would be. "No problem. You know I've always got your back." Nick said, squeezing him tightly one more time before pulling away. "Now, I'm going to get out there and sit in the front row with your parents and watch you take everybody's breath away."

"I will for you," Jeff said with an even bigger smile.

Those words tore at Nick's heart, mostly because Jeff honestly had no idea just how much they meant to Nick. They talked like that all the time, and the more and more it happened the more it took its toll on Nick's heart. "No, Jeff," Nick squeezed his shoulder. "You need to do this for you." Nick said with a smile before getting up and leaving his best friend's dressing room.

"How is he?" Mrs. Sterling asked when he sat down beside him.

"Kinda a mess, but I think I calmed him down some." Nick told her, running a hand through his hair.

"You always do," Mrs. Sterling said, patting his arm with a smile.

Nick's returning smile was only half hearted as the lights dimmed in the auditorium and the crowd became silent as everyone's attention turned to the stage where "Flashdance (What a Feeling)" began playing over the speakers.

Jeff was freaking out so badly because he was performing with his dance class, and he had a solo, but that wasn't the only reason. Jeff had applied for a scholarship to Julliard with an amazing essay that took him months and a video tape of one of his routines that he had helped come up with for a Warblers competition. A month of waiting at the mailbox impatiently passed, and Jeff finally got the letter he had been waiting for informing him that he was one of the top ten finalists.

And today, the person who was going to judge and see if he was Julliard material was in the audience to see him live.

Nick bit his lip as Jeff took the stage with the other performers. Everything about Jeff was flawless when he danced. He was perfectly in sync with the music and the other students alongside him. Nick hated it when after the performance he would always find something he had done wrong and pick at it. His foot wasn't in the correct position, his hands were a millisecond late . . . When Nick watched him though, he couldn't find anything wrong with the way the blonde moved his body. It was just a part of Jeff he guessed, to find the flaws in everything he did, even when in Nick's eyes he was always perfect, no matter how many times he had told him so.

When the song was almost over, it was time for Jeff's solo, and Nick felt his breath hitch in his throat. Nick could tell that Jeff was putting everything he had into his dancing at that moment by the look in his eyes and the expression on his face. If you didn't know Jeff well, you wouldn't be able to see it, but every time he danced, no matter what expression he was wearing, his eyes were always shining, and it was that small shine that told you that he loved what he was doing. It was that small shine that Nick longed to see in Jeff's eyes when he looked at him.

Nick managed to lose himself for a few moments, not taking his eyes off Jeff as the boy bared his soul across the stage, and it was honestly one of the most beautiful things Nick had ever seen.

It was only after the spotlight on his best friend flickered out did Nick realize a few proud tears had fallen down his cheeks.

Nick was the first one waiting when Jeff came out from the stage. He was sweating terribly with a towel wrapped around his shoulders in sweat pants and a wife beater. "Did you see me miss that foot slam? I worked so hard to get that and – umph!"

Jeff didn't have time to say anything else because Nick had tackled him in a tight hug. "Shut – up, Sterling, you were faultless, and I don't want to hear another word." Nick murmured, squeezing him tighter.

"But I -" Jeff started to protest, but Nick just squeezed him tighter, cutting off his air supply.

"I said shut it!"

"Nick . . . can't . . . breathe . . ." Jeff said hoarsely.

Nick blushed slightly, "sorry," he muttered, pulling away.

Jeff just laughed, "Hey, who said you could let go?" He teased, pulling his best friend back into his arms again.

Nick smiled and returned the hug, burying his face in Jeff's chest.

"Are we interrupting anything?" an amused voice said from behind Nick.

Both boys pulled away from each other this time, blushing furiously. Nick cleared his throat awkwardly while Jeff wiped some sweat off his brow. "Hey, Mom and Dad, what did you think?"

"You were amazing, Jeffy," Mrs. Sterling said, pulling her son into a tight hug.

"Mom . . ." Jeff groaned at the nickname while Nick snorted. "Shut-up, Nicky," Jeff teased, wiping the smirk off Nick's face.

"You were great, Jeff, they would have to be crazy not to let you into that dance school." Mr. Sterling told him, clapping his shoulder when his mother released him.

"Julliard, Dad," Jeff said, rolling his eyes.

"Right, Julliard!" Mr. Sterling said.

"Did he say anything?" Jeff asked nervously, looking around at his family.

Mrs. Sterling just shook her head. "Nothing other than the fact that you should get a letter in about a month," she told him.

"Oh," Jeff said.

Nick hated the disappointment that was stretched across Jeff's face. "Jeff, that doesn't mean anything." Nick told him.

"Yes it does," Jeff said quietly.

"You're right, Jeff, it does." His mom said.

Nick turned a glare to her as Jeff's disappointment on his face grew, but quickly stopped when he heard her next words.

"He flew all the way down here from New York to see you dance. That does mean something." She told her son.

Jeff smiled a little, "thanks Mom."

"No problem, hon, now we're going to take you home, let you have a quick shower, and we're all going out to celebrate. Wherever you want," Mrs. Sterling said.

"Can Nick come?" Jeff said eagerly, causing Nick's heart to speed up in his chest.

Mrs. Sterling smiled a little knowing smile. "Of course he can. Did you honestly think we weren't planning on bringing him in the first place?"

Jeff just grinned wider. "Well, come on then, I'm starving." Jeff said, grabbing Nick's hand and pulling him outside.

Mrs. Sterling watched as Nick followed with a lovestruck face. "Oh, it won't be long now." She said with a knowing smile.

"What, dear?" Mr. Sterling asked, looking confused.

"Oh, nothing," she replied mysteriously.

Mr. Sterling didn't bother to try and guess.

It had been a month and there was still no word from Julliard, and Jeff was frantic with worry. It was worse than when he was waiting for the finalist letter, and the worst part was that Nick had no idea what to do to help him. He had tried everything he could to distract his best friend from the letter. He had made him his favorite foods, taken him to movies he knew he wanted to see, taken him on any adventures he might have mentioned in passing that he wanted to do, but still, everyday Jeff waited anxiously for the mail carrier to drop a letter through the slot, yet none had come.

"What if it doesn't come, Nicky?" Jeff said quietly.

"It will, Jeff, don't worry," Nick reassured him, wrapping an arm around his best friend, bringing him close to his side, pushing away the urge to kiss his cheek.

Jeff sighed and laid his head against Nick's shoulder. "How do you know?" Jeff asked sadly, almost breaking Nick's heart.

"Because," Nick squeezed his best friend's shoulder. "I saw you dance."

Jeff's cheeks flushed a little as he looked up at Nick. "You see me dance all the time. You always say I'm perfect." Jeff murmured.

"That's because you are," Nick replied.

"No, I'm not," Jeff mumbled.

Nick shook his head. "You don't see yourself very clearly, do you?"

Jeff sat up, looking Nick directly in the eyes. "Dude, I know you just did not quote Twilight at me."

Nick blushed. "So what if I did. It still applies!"

Jeff just shook his head at his best friend through a smile. "You're hopeless." Jeff said simply.

Nick pouted, but was interrupted by the familiar sound of the mail sliding the slot.

They both looked at each other for a moment before Jeff leaped off the couch, hurrying over and sorting through the letters before freezing. "It's here," he gasped.

Nick jumped up next to him. "Well? Open it!" He said, excited.

Jeff glanced at Nick for a moment before taking a deep breath and opening the letter, reading carefully.

"What?" Nick said when Jeff didn't say anything.

Jeff looked up at him in disbelief.

"Jeff, what does it say?!" Nick said anxiously.

A huge grin broke across Jeff's face. "I got it."

The next five minutes consisted of jumping up and down in circles, yelling congratulations and sounds of disbelief. "I told you that you could do it!" Nick finally yelled, grinning widely at his best friend. He was so proud of him.

"I just – I just can't believe it. So many people applied, and they – they choose me!" Jeff exclaimed, throwing the letter in the air.

"Yeah they did!" Nick said, shoving Jeff playfully.

Jeff laughed before a thought struck. "Nick, what are we going to do about you?"

"What?" Nick asked, confused why Jeff suddenly didn't look so excited anymore.

"What about you? I can't go to college without you! What was I thinking? We can't even go a week without seeing each other! Remember that time you went on vacation, and we were both so depressed you guys came home early? I can't come home early from college! What are -"

"Jeff, calm down," Nick said, putting his hands on Jeff's shoulders, trying to get his attention.

"How can I calm down? I've been so selfish, I haven't even thought about -"

"Okay, one, you weren't being selfish, and two, I've all ready been accepted at NYU." Nick said, smiling softly.

"You . . . you have?" Jeff said in disbelief.

"Of course I have. I knew you were going to get into Julliard, and I wasn't going to college without you." Nick said with a grin.

"You applied to NYU . . . for me?" Jeff said, still sounding shocked.

Nick was starting to be confused again, wondering why Jeff was making it into such a big deal. "Duh, did you know that NYU is only like 3.8 miles away from Julliard?" Nick said, trying to sound like he hadn't actually looked that up. "I thought maybe we could get an apartment if you wanted? I don't really want to room with anyone else, and -"

Before Nick could say another word, Jeff had grabbed his face and pressed their lips together.

Nick didn't even think as he grabbed the boy's hips and pulled him closer. He had been waiting for this for so, so long, he didn't care about anything else, someone possibly walking in, feeling awkward, Jeff having to bend down to kiss him. He just knew that he was kissing his best friend and, God, it felt _good._

Which was why he was so pissed when a loud throat clearing broke them apart, and they both turned to the source, finding their mother's back from yoga with their arms crossed, smirking at the pair. "So . . . is there anything you two want to tell us?" Mrs. Duval asked.

They both blushed scarlet at the realization that they had been caught in the middle of their first kiss _by their mothers _before Jeff spoke up. "I got into Julliard?" Jeff said with an innocent smile, shrugging his shoulders.

And when Jeff looked back at Nick with a smile, Nick finally saw what he had been looking for.

That little shine.


End file.
